In grammar, describing a word that directly modifies a noun, like an adjective placed next to the word it describes.
From 'attribute' (Latin 'attributus') plus '-ive' suffix. This grammatical term emerged in Latin grammar studies and was standardized in English linguistic analysis.
In 'the big blue house,' both 'big' and 'blue' are attributive adjectives—they're stuck right next to the noun they describe. But if you say 'the house is big and blue,' now they're predicative. Same words, completely different grammatical jobs!
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